EP2661356A2

EP2661356A2 - Machine for handling tools

Info

Publication number: EP2661356A2
Application number: EP12700102.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alexander Hamlyn
Original assignee: Coriolis Composites SAS
Current assignee: Coriolis Composites SAS
Priority date: 2011-01-07
Filing date: 2012-01-05
Publication date: 2013-11-13
Also published as: FR2970198B1; WO2012093159A2; WO2012093159A3; FR2970198A1

Abstract

The present invention essentially relates to a machine for handling tools, comprising a tilting device (1) including two plates each mounted so as to be capable of rotation and vertical sliding on a base (10a, 10b) and equipped with an arm (13a, 13b) having an upper face provided with a first portion of a locking system, a tool (2), the lower faces of the end portions of which are provided with second portions of the locking systems, and a control system for synchronously moving the plates between an extreme lower position, in which the arms are arranged under the tool carried by a carrier system (4), and a low position in which the first portions are capable of engaging with the second portions of the locking systems for locking the tool, and between said low position and at least one high position in which the control system is capable of rotating the tool.

Description

TOOL HANDLING MACHINE

The present invention relates to a tool-handling machine, as well as a machine for producing and / or processing parts comprising such a tool-handling machine and a processing device. The present invention relates in particular to a machine for producing parts made of composite material comprising a device for applying fibers to a draping tool combined with a machine for handling said draping tool.

Fiber application devices, commonly known as fiber placement devices, are known for application on draping tools, such as a male or female mold of a wide band formed of a plurality of flat fibers, such as ribbons, dried or impregnated with resin, especially carbon fibers impregnated with a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin. These devices conventionally comprise a fiber application head, also called a fiber placement head, a displacement system of said head, fiber storage means, and fiber routing means for conveying the fibers of said fiber feed means. storage to the head. The head conventionally comprises an application roll intended to come into contact against the mold to apply the band.

For some fiber application device architectures, it may be necessary to position the draping tool vertically or to fix it on a horizontal rotary axis which is slaved to the other axes of the displacement system. As described in particular in the document US Pat. No. 6,112,792, the drape tool is conventionally mounted on a tilting device of the tower type, comprising two vertical bases, each equipped with a turntable, also called a doll. The draping tool is mounted on the two dolls by its ends. Each end can be equipped with a vertical plate, with an outer surface assembly, assembled by means of bolts to a doll according to a vertical assembly plane. The installation and removal of the draping tools are performed by means of an overhead crane. For its installation, the tools, suspended on the bridge rolling, is brought between the two dolls, and the decks are fixed to the dolls.

This tool handling machine, comprising a lathe associated with a traveling crane, requires manual loading operations on the crane, positioning between the dolls, and fixing to the dolls. In addition, the tools must be equipped with vertical plates for their attachment. These plates have the disadvantage of increasing the size and weight of the tool, which is particularly disadvantageous when the draping tool is also the cooking tool because it increases the cooking cycles and increases the size of the means heating.

The object of the present invention is to propose a solution to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

For this purpose, the present invention proposes a tooling machine, comprising

- a tilting device comprising

a first vertical base or bench and a second vertical base or bench arranged facing each other, the first base being equipped with a first rotary plate rotatably mounted on said first base around an axis of rotation substantially parallel to a first horizontal direction, the second base being equipped with a second rotary plate rotatably mounted on said second base around an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the first horizontal direction, and rotation drive means adapted to drive in rotation the first tray and / or the second tray,

- at least one tool, and,

at least one first locking or clamping system and a second locking or clamping system for mounting said tooling between the first rotary plate and the second rotary plate in the first horizontal direction, in order to rotate said tooling about the axes of rotation; rotation of the plates, substantially coincidental, and substantially parallel to the first horizontal direction, said first locking system comprising a first portion mounted on the first plate adapted to cooperate with a second portion mounted at a first end portion of the tool for assembling the tooling to said first plate, said second locking system comprising a first portion mounted on the second plate adapted to cooperate with a second portion mounted at a second end portion of the tooling for assembling the tooling to said second plate, characterized in that

each tray is slidably mounted, substantially vertically in a vertical direction substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, on its base, and is adapted to be moved vertically by vertical drive means, the first tray carries a first arm, extending in the first horizontal direction towards the second base, having a so-called upper face on which is disposed the first part of the first locking system, the second plate carries a second arm, extending in the first horizontal direction towards the first base, having a so-called upper face on which is arranged the first part of the second locking system, the second parts of the first and second locking systems are disposed on a so-called lower face of said end portions of the tool,

said machine further comprising

a support system, also called a carriage, adapted to support said tool and to move it at least in a second horizontal direction substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal direction and to the vertical direction, between a spaced apart position and a loading position in which said tool is disposed between the two bases, and

a control system capable of controlling the vertical drive means for synchronously moving the first plate and the second plate between an extreme low position in which the arms of the plates are placed under the tooling supported by the support system in position; loading, when said upper faces of the arms are in a so-called horizontal position, the axes of rotation of the plates being substantially merged, and a low position in which the first parts are able to cooperate with the second parts for the locking of the tooling and between said low position and at least one high position in which the control system is adapted to control the rotary drive means for rotating the tooling. According to the invention, each plate is equipped with an arm, for example in the form of a square, proposing a horizontal assembly interface instead of a vertical assembly interface. The tooling machine according to the invention comprising such trays combined with a tool support system allows automatic loading and unloading of the tooling on the tilting device by vertical movements of the trays.

According to a feature, the machine comprises at least two first locking systems and at least two second locking systems, the first arm carrying at least two first parts offset relative to each other in at least the first horizontal direction and / or the second horizontal direction.

According to one embodiment, the machine comprises three first locking systems and three second locking systems:

a first so-called central locking system and a second so-called central locking system, whose first so-called central parts are centered substantially in the plane of symmetry of the arm passing through the axis of rotation of the plate and substantially perpendicular to the upper face of the arm, and

two first lateral locking systems and two second lateral locking systems, of which the first so-called lateral parts are arranged, preferably substantially symmetrically, on either side of the plane of symmetry of the arm.

Preferably,

the first central locking system ensures a mechanical connection, with no degree of freedom, of the blocked contact type, between the tooling and the first arm,

the second central locking system provides a linear contact type connection, with a degree of freedom in the first horizontal direction,

the lateral locking systems providing a mechanical link of the plane or plan / plane support connection type with a degree of freedom in the first horizontal direction and in the second horizontal direction.

The degrees of freedom at the level of the lateral systems and of a central system allow an isostatism of the set, thus reducing the constraints imposed on the tools. According to one embodiment, each locking system comprises a second part comprising at least one rod or stud, and a first part comprising a plate provided with at least one housing adapted to receive said stud, and equipped with at least one member locking device adapted to cooperate with said stud to lock it in a longitudinal position in said housing.

According to one embodiment, each locking member is able to move radially between a remote position, in which said member is recessed relative to the housing, and a locking position in which said member is projecting into the housing to block the stud and thus lock the first and second parts, said member being advantageously biased resiliently in its locking position and moved to its position spaced by pneumatic means, supplied with compressed air only when the plate is positioned between its low position and its extreme low position.

According to one embodiment, the machine comprises a pre-centering system for centering the tooling in the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction during the displacement of the trays from their extreme low position to their lower position, so that the first parts and second parts are substantially aligned vertically before engagement for locking the tool on the arms, said pre-centering system comprising for example on the upper face of each arm of the first parts adapted to cooperate with second parts on the underside of the end portions of the tool to perform this pre-centering.

According to one embodiment, the support system comprises an automatically guided vehicle, conventionally called vehicle AGV. Advantageously, said automatically guided vehicle is able to move in the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction, and is preferably also able to move the tooling in the vertical direction.

According to one embodiment, at least one of the two pedestals is slidably mounted on at least one rail for moving said pedestal in the first horizontal direction, in order to adjust the distance between the two pedestals as a function of the length of the pedestal. tooling. The present invention also relates to a machine for the production and / or treatment of parts, characterized in that it comprises a tooling machine as defined above, and a processing device comprising a treatment head and a displacement system adapted to move said treatment head to make a part on said tooling and / or to perform a treatment of a piece placed on said tooling.

According to one feature, said control unit is able to simultaneously control the displacement of the treatment head by said displacement system and the rotation of the tooling and / or the movement of the tooling in the vertical direction by the tilting device for producing the workpiece on said tooling and / or for performing a treatment of a workpiece placed on said tooling.

According to one embodiment, for the manufacture of composite material parts, the handling machine comprises at least one draping tool, having an application surface corresponding to a part to be produced, the processing device comprising an application head of fibers, said head preferably having a fiber application roll for applying a fiber web to the application surface of the draping tool.

According to one embodiment, said displacement system comprises a three-axis end wrist carrying said draping tool. According to one embodiment, said displacement system comprises a poly-articulated arm with at least four axes, preferably five axes, better still six axes, comprising said three-axis end wrist.

According to one embodiment, said poly-articulated arm is slidably mounted on a rail, preferably disposed in the first horizontal direction. In a variant, the displacement system is a portal type Cartesian displacement system, with an end wrist mounted at the end of a vertically movable gantry carriage.

According to alternative embodiments, the machine for producing and / or treating treatment pieces comprises a processing device comprising a trimming head, a stitching head, a head for the insertion of three-dimensional reinforcements, a head for the setting in place of insert, a ply contour control head, a forming head, and / or a head for removal of the workpiece.

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features and advantages will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed explanatory description of a particular presently preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the schematic drawings. annexed, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine for producing composite material parts according to the invention, comprising a device for placing fibers, and a tooling machine that includes a draping tool, a a tool support system, and a tool tilting device with rotating platters, the tooling being in a remote position on its support system, and the rotating platens being in an extreme low position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the tilting device of FIG. 1;

- Figure 3 is a schematic sectional view of a lateral locking system of the tilting device;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the draping tool;

- Figures 5A and 5B are respectively a perspective view and a side view of the machine of Figure 1, the tool being in the loading position on its support system, and the trays being in the extreme low position;

Figure 5C is a partial enlarged view of Figure 5B;

FIGS. 6B and 6C are views similar to those of FIGS. 5B and 5C, the trays being in a low position for the locking operation;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are views similar to those of FIGS. 5A and 5B, the rotary plates bearing the tool being in a high position;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6A, in which the draping tool carried by the rotary plates is in a treatment position for draping fibers by means of the fiber placement head; and, - Figure 9 is a view similar to that of Figure 8, wherein the draping tool carried by the rotating plates is in a position said opposite, 180 ° of the treatment position.

With reference to FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the processing machine comprises a machine for handling a draping tool in combination with a fiber application device.

The tooling handling machine comprises a tooling tilting device 1, also called a tool lifting and tilting device, a draping tool 2, and a tool support system 4.

With reference to FIGS. 2, 5B and 5C, the tilting device comprises two pedestals arranged vis-a-vis, fixed to the ground, defining a horizontal direction X. A first base 10a is equipped with a first rotary plate 1, or doll. The plate is rotatably mounted on a carriage 12a about an axis A1, parallel to the horizontal direction X, and the carriage is slidably mounted vertically, in the vertical direction Z, on the first base. The rotation drive of the plate is provided by first rotating drive means (not shown), and the displacement in vertical translation of the carriage is provided by first vertical drive means. The first plate 11a is equipped with a first arm 13a, in the general shape of a square, making it possible to make a horizontal assembly interface with the tooling 2. The first arm comprises a first portion 131a fixed to the plate 11a by a vertical assembly face, and extending towards the second base 10b by a second portion 132a having a so-called upper face 133a. With reference in particular to FIG. 5C, when this upper face 133a is disposed substantially horizontally and oriented upwards, the first portion 131a extends downwards and the second portion 132a extends substantially horizontally. The first arm has a plane PI of symmetry, which passes through the axis of rotation Al of the arm and which is perpendicular to the upper face 133a.

Similarly, the second base 10b is equipped with a first rotary plate 11b, rotatably mounted on a carriage 12b about an axis A '1, parallel to the direction X, and the carriage is slidably mounted vertically along the axis Z on the second base. Training in rotation of the plate and the drive in vertical translation are provided respectively by second rotary drive means (not shown) and second vertical drive means. The second plate is equipped with a second arm 13b, comprising a first portion 131b and a second portion 132b having an upper face 133b. The second arm has a plane P '1 of symmetry, passing through the axis of rotation A' 1 of the arm and perpendicular to the upper face 133b.

The draping tool 2, also called mold, has an application surface 21, here a concave surface corresponding to the part to be produced. The tool has two end portions 23, 24 opposite, each having a face 23a, 24a said lower. In the present illustrated embodiment, the mold has a substantially planar lower surface 22 opposite the draping surface, said lower surface constituting said bottom faces of the end portions.

According to FIG. 2, the assembly of the mold to the tilting device is achieved by means of locking systems: first three locking systems, referenced 3a, 3b, 3c, for assembling the mold 2 to the first arm 13a, and three seconds locking systems 3'a, 3'b, 3'c to assemble the mold to the second arm 13b. Each locking system comprises a first portion, said main portion mounted on an arm and a second portion, said tool portion, mounted on the lower surface 22 of the mold opposite the draping surface.

For each arm, a so-called central locking system 3a and 3'a comprises a main portion 31a central mounted on the upper face 133a, 133b of the arm and disposed substantially along the plane PI, P2 of the arm. Two so-called lateral locking systems 3b, 3c and 3'b, 3'c, making it possible to take up the rotational or torsional forces, comprise main lateral parts 31b, 31c and 31 'b, 31' c arranged symmetrically on the upper face. 133a, 133b on both sides of the plane PI, P '1 of the arm, being shifted in the direction X to the other arm relative to the central main part.

With reference to FIG. 4, the lower surface 22 of the mold 2 is equipped at each end portion 23, 24 with a central tool part 32a and 32 'a and side tool parts 32b, 32c and 32' b, 32 'c arranged to fit into their corresponding main parts of the arms. These tool parts 31a, 31b, 31c and 3a, 31b, 31c are all identical to each other.

With reference to FIG. 3, which illustrates in particular a lateral locking system 3b, 3c, 3'b, 3'c, the tool portion of each locking system comprises a circular plate 321 mounted on the lower surface 22 of the mold, the flat lower surface 322 of the plate being equipped with a stud 323 of axis A2 perpendicular to said lower surface. The main part of each locking system comprises a circular plate 310 having a plane upper surface 311 provided with a central housing 312. Said housing is adapted to receive said stud 323, and is equipped with locking members 313 able to move radially, elastically, between a spaced position in which said members are recessed relative to the housing, and a locking position wherein said members are projecting into the housing and adapted to engage in an annular groove 324 of the stud to lock the main part and the tool part. In this locked position of the two parts, the surfaces 322, 311 of the plates are held substantially against each other and define an assembly plane P2. The locking members are advantageously resiliently biased by resilient means 314 in their locked position, and are moved pneumatically to their spaced apart position by pneumatic means (not shown).

The assembly plans of the different locking systems are arranged parallel to each other, and may possibly be substantially merged. These assembly planes are preferably arranged below the axes A1, A '1 of rotation so that the center of gravity of the mold is closer to the axis of rotation, this to avoid unbalance.

To avoid any problem of hyperstatism, the main lateral parts 31b, 31c and 31 'b, 31' c are mounted on the arms in plane contact, said lateral main parts being able to move in their assembly plane to the arms. One of the main central parts, for example the main central portion 31a of the first arm, is mounted fixed in contact blocked on the first arm, and the central main portion 31 'of the second arm is movably mounted in translation in the X direction on the second arm, in linear contact.

By way of example, with reference to FIG. 3, for mounting in plane contact of the main lateral parts, each lateral part has a flange 315 through which said part is assembled on the upper surface 133a, 133b of the arm by means of an annular 316 flange. The annular flange is attached to the upper surface 133a, 133b and has an internal shoulder 317 bearing against the flange to retain the main portion. The inner diameter of the flange under the shoulder is greater than the outer diameter of the flange so that the main portion can freely move parallel to the assembly plane P2. Unrepresented elastic means, such as a ring of elastic foam interposed between the flange and the flange, urge said central portion into a rest position in which the central portion and the flange are arranged coaxially.

For its assembly in linear contact, the central portion 3a of the second arm 13 'a is similarly mounted by means of a flange, the flange having two parallel opposite edges coming against two opposite parallel portions of the inner wall of the flange for guiding in translation the central main part in the direction X. The central portion 3 the a is also biased elastically in a rest position. For the central portion 31a of the first arm, the flange makes it possible to fix the latter without freedom of movement. By way of example, the main lateral parts have a freedom of movement in their assembly plane of about 2 mm in all directions around their rest position, and the central part of the second arm has a freedom of movement of approximately 1 mm in the X direction around either side of its rest position.

The support system 4, which makes it possible to automatically load and unload a mold from the lifting and tilting device, is formed of an automatically guided vehicle, known per se, conventionally called an AGV vehicle, moving on the ground in the directions X and Y. The vehicle has a plate 41 on which the mold rests by its lower surface 22, substantially horizontally, so that its end portions 23, 24 are arranged on either side of the vehicle. Advantageously, said vehicle comprises lifting means for vertically moving the plate, and thus adapting the vertical position of the tool parts according to the mold formats. The vehicle is able to be radioguided automatically by remote positioning means known per se.

The fiber application device 5 allows the production of composite material parts by draping several plies of composite material on the mold, each ply being formed of adjoining strips each formed of one or more flat fibers, of the ribbons type, optionally impregnated with resin, in particular carbon fibers impregnated with a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin.

Referring to Figure 1, the fiber application device comprises a fiber application head 51, a system 52 for moving said fiber application head. The fiber application head conventionally comprises an application roller intended to come into contact with the tooling, and a guiding system for guiding the fibers entering the head towards the roll in the form of a fiber band. resin prepregs, the fibers of the web being arranged side by side in a substantially contiguous manner. The displacement system is here formed of a poly-articulated arm 521, of the six-axis robot type, known per se, fixed on a carriage 522 slidably mounted on a rail 523, and whose end wrist 521a is equipped with the head 51. The rail is arranged in the X direction, substantially parallel to the axes of rotation A1, A '1. The poly-articulated arm ensures the displacement of the draping tool in the space in all directions. The carriage is equipped with drive means, for example motorized rollers for moving the robot along the rail. In order to be able to stop and resume the application of a band at any time, as well as to choose the width of the band, the head further comprises cutting and blocking systems for individually cutting and blocking each fiber upstream of the roll, and rerouting systems upstream of the cutting systems to individually reroute each fiber that has just been cut.

The device 5 further comprises means 53 for storing fibers and routing means (not shown) for conveying fibers from said storage means to the application head. In the example shown, the fibers are stored in a bobbin on a creel which is also arranged on a motorized carriage slidably mounted on the rail 523, and is individually conveyed to the application head via flexible tubes, not shown, placed in a sheath, as described in patent document WO2010 / 049424.

The machine further comprises a control system (not shown) with a man-machine interface for controlling the vertical drive means and the rotational drive means of the tilting device, as well as the fiber placement device.

The loading of a mold on the lifting and tilting device is carried out as follows.

With reference to FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C, the rotating plates 11a, 11b are in an extreme low position, the upper faces 133a, 133b of the arms 13a 13b disposed substantially horizontally, and oriented upwards, the axes Al and A ' 1, and the PI and P '1 planes being substantially merged. The vehicle 4 carrying the mold 2 is radio-guided to the loading / unloading station to bring the mold between the two bases, in a so-called loading position, above the two arms, so that the pads 323 of the tool parts 32a, 32b, 32c, 32 'a, 32'b, 32'c are disposed substantially vertically housing 312 of the main portions 31a, 31b, 31c, 3a, 31' b, 31 'c corresponding.

The vertical drive means are then controlled to synchronously lift the trays in a low position illustrated in Figures 6B and 6C, wherein the tool parts are engaged in the main parts. To do this, during this movement to the low position, the pneumatic means of the main parts are supplied with compressed air to move the locking members 313 in the remote position and allow the insertion of the pads in the housing. The compressed air supply is cut when the trays have reached their low position, the locking members then return elastically in their locking position. In this low position, the mold 2 is always carried by the vehicle 4. The locking is thus achieved the unloaded arms, to stiffen the arm and mold assembly before lifting. The arm and mold assembly behaves like a single rigid beam. Preferably, a pre-centering system in Y and X is provided to ensure for each arm the vertical alignment of the pads 323 relative to the housing 312 during the locking operation.

The pre-centering system comprises on each arm a first roller 61 rotatably mounted on the upper face 133a, 133b about an axis of rotation arranged in the X direction, cooperating with a notch of a block 62 fixed on the surface 22 lower portion of the mold, at the lower faces 23a, 24a of the end portions 23, 24. Said notch has an upper portion with two opposite inclined walls approaching one another to center the mold in the Y direction, and a lower portion with two substantially parallel opposed walls whose height is greater than the length of the pads. Each arm further comprises a second roller 63 rotatably mounted on the upper face 133a, 133b about an axis of rotation arranged in the Y direction, cooperating with a notch of a block 64 fixed on the lower faces 23a, 24a of the parts end 23, 24 of the mold, the notch having an upper portion with two opposite inclined walls approaching one another to center the mold in the X direction, and a lower portion with two substantially parallel opposed walls of which the height is greater than the length of the stud. The rollers 61, 63 of an arm are arranged on either side of the plane PI, P '1 and offset from one another in the direction X.

Once the mold 2 is locked on the two arms 13a, 13b, the trays 11a, 11b of the two arms can be lifted in synchronism in a high setpoint position by controlling the vertical drive means via the control system, such as as illustrated in Figures 7A and 7B. The vehicle 4 is then removed from the loading / unloading station by radio guidance. The trays are then driven in synchronism in rotation about the axes of rotation A1, A '1 to tilt the mold by about 90 ° in a working position illustrated in FIG. 8, in which the surface 21 of draping is oriented in direction of the fiber application device 5.

The application of fibers to the surface 21 is carried out by moving the head 51 by means of the robot 521, which can move along the rail 523. The main control unit controls the movements of the carriage 522 and the movements of the robot 521 according to sequences programmed, and controls the equipment of the head, including the actuators of the cutting, blocking and re-routing systems, and the equipment of its associated creel.

At the end of the draping operations, the mold can be tilted by 180 ° as illustrated in FIG. 9, for inspection and / or the production by an operator O of ancillary operations on the part produced.

In this embodiment, the mold is stationary during the draping operation. Depending on the shape of the mold, draping can be done by moving the head and rotating the mold via the lifting and tilting device. The tilting and lifting device can in particular be used to perform filament winding.

The mold can then be discharged by bringing the trays into the up position illustrated in FIG. 7A. A vehicle is radioguided to the loading / unloading station, and the trays are lowered synchronously in a low position, in which the mold is supported by the vehicle. The locking members 313 are brought into the separated position and the plates are lowered to the extreme low position to allow the withdrawal of the mold by the vehicle.

The parts produced can then be cured or polymerized by passing through an autoclave, after a resin infusion step if the applied fibers are dry or partially dry fibers.

The upper face of an arm and one of the lower faces of the end portions of the mold, in particular the main part and the tool part of at least one locking system, may be equipped with electrical connection means, for example example for the power supply of a heating system of the mold for heating mold, and / or pneumatic connection means, for example for the supply of compressed air or for the evacuation of a holding system / ejection of the mold for maintaining by suction the part made on the mold and to eject the piece by blowing compressed air.

Advantageously, the compressed air supply of the main parts, which is effected via the arms, is possible only in the case where the plates are between their low position and their extreme low position, which eliminates any risk of unlocking the mold when the mold is carried by the arms.

In the illustrated embodiment, the tool parts of the locking systems are mounted directly on the molds. Alternatively, the machine comprises a support frame equipped with said tool parts on which different molds can be mounted removably.

In an alternative embodiment, at least one of the two bases 10a, 10b is slidably mounted on at least one rail to allow the base to move in the X direction, in order to adjust the spacing between the two bases according to the length of the tools.

According to alternative embodiments, the processing machine comprises different devices for performing different operations on the part made on the draping tool. Each device comprises a displacement system, for example of the aforementioned type, and a treatment head, such as for example: an ultrasonic trimming head for cutting the workpiece; a stitching head for stitching reinforcing threads into the piece; a head for ultrasonic insertion of three-dimensional reinforcements in the room; a head for the insertion of an insert, for example a foam insert or an insert of composite material formed of a set of folds previously draped; a ply contour control head, a forming head; and / or a head for removal of the part.

The tooling handling machine according to the invention can also be used without a particular processing device, for the tilting of a tool vis-à-vis an operator to perform, under ergonomic conditions, operations of inspection or manual processing operations.

The present invention also relates to a tool handling machine in which the tool is assembled to a tilting device comprising a single base with a plate equipped with an arm. The tooling handling machine then comprises a tilting device comprising at least a first vertical base equipped with a first rotary plate, rotatably mounted on said first base around an axis of rotation substantially parallel to a first horizontal direction, and rotation drive means capable of rotating the first plate, at least one tool, and at least one first locking system for mounting said tooling on the first turntable, said first locking system comprising a first portion mounted on the first plate adapted to cooperate with a second portion mounted at a first end portion of the tooling . The machine is characterized in that

said first plate is slidably mounted on its base, substantially vertically, in a vertical direction substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, and is able to be displaced vertically by vertical drive means, the first plate carries a first arm having a upper face on which is disposed the first part of the first locking system, the second part of the first locking system is disposed on a lower face of the first end portion of the tool,

and further comprising a support system adapted to support said tooling and to move it between a spaced apart position and a loading position, and a control system adapted to control the vertical drive means for moving the first plate between an extreme low position in which the arm is disposed under the tool supported by the support system in the loading position, when said upper face of the first arm is in a so-called horizontal position, and a low position in which the first part is able to cooperate with the second part for locking the tooling, and between said low position and at least one high position in which the control system is able to control the drive means.

Preferably, the tilting device further comprises a second vertical base, arranged vis-à-vis the first base equipped with a second rotary plate carrying a second arm having an upper face, said second plate being mounted on said second base rotatably about an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the first horizontal direction, and sliding substantially vertically in the vertical direction, capable of being displaced vertically by vertical drive means, and possibly rotating drive means adapted to rotate the second plate, the machine further comprising a second locking system for assembling the tooling to said second plate comprising a first portion mounted on the upper face of the second arm and a second portion mounted on a lower face of a second end portion of the tool, the support system being adapted to move the tooling at least in a second horizontal direction substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal direction and the vertical direction, between a spaced position and a loading position in which said tool is disposed between the two bases, said control system being able to control the vertical drive means of the first plate and of the second plate for synchronously moving the first plate and the second plate between an extreme low position in which the arms of the plates are arranged under the tool supported by the support system in the loading position, when said upper faces of the arms are in a so-called horizontal position, and a low position in which the first parts are able to cooperate with the second parts for the locking of the tooling, and between said low position and at least one high position in which the control system is able to control the drive means in rotation.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a particular embodiment, it is obvious that it is not limited thereto and that it comprises all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if they are within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Tool handling machine, comprising

- A tilting device (1) comprising a first vertical base (10a) and a second vertical base (10b) disposed facing each other, the first base being equipped with a first rotary plate (11a) rotatably mounted. on said first base around an axis (Al) of rotation substantially parallel to a first horizontal direction (X), the second base being equipped with a second rotary plate (11b) rotatably mounted on said second base around a rotation axis (A '1) substantially parallel to the horizontal direction (X), and rotational drive means capable of rotating the first plate and / or the second plate,

at least one tool (2), and

at least one first locking system (3a, 3b, 3c) and a second locking system (3 'a, 3'b, 3'c) for mounting said tooling between the first plate (l ia) rotating and the second rotating plate (11b), said first locking system comprising a first portion (31a, 31b, 31c) mounted on the first plate adapted to cooperate with a second portion (32a, 32b, 32c) mounted at a first end portion (23) of the tooling, said second locking system comprising a first portion (3 the a, 31 'b, 31' c) mounted on the second plate adapted to cooperate with a second portion (32'a, 32 ' b, 32'c) mounted at a second end portion (24) of the tooling,

characterized in that

each plate (11a, 11b) is slidably mounted, substantially vertically in a vertical direction (Z), on its base (10a, 10b), and is able to be displaced vertically by vertical drive means, the first plate ( 1a) carries a first arm (13a) having a so-called upper face (133a) on which is disposed the first portion (31a, 31b, 31c) of the first locking system, the second plate (11b) carries a second arm (13b). ) having a so-called upper face (133b) on which is disposed the first part (3a, 31b, 31c) of the second locking system, the second parts (32a, 32b, 32c; 32'a, 32'b, 32'c) of the first and second locking systems are disposed on a so-called lower face (23a, 24a) of said end portions (23, 24) of the tooling, said machine further comprising

a support system (4) able to support said tooling and to move it at least in a second horizontal direction (Y) substantially perpendicular to the first horizontal direction (X) and to the vertical direction (Z), between a remote position and a loading position in which said tool (2) is disposed between the two pedestals (10a, 10b), and

a control system able to control the vertical drive means for synchronously moving the first plate (1a) and the second plate (11b) between an extreme low position in which the arms (13a, 13b) of the plates are arranged under the tool supported by the support system in the loading position, when said upper faces (133a, 133b) of the arms are in a so-called horizontal position, and a low position in which the first portions (31a, 31b, 31c; a, 31 'b, 31' c) are able to cooperate with the second parts (32a, 32b, 32c; 32'a, 32'b, 32'c) for locking the tooling, and between said position and at least one high position in which the control system is adapted to control the rotational drive means for rotating the tooling.

2. Machine tool handling according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two first locking systems (3a, 3b, 3c) and at least two second locking systems (3 'a, 3'b , 3'c), the first arm (13a) carrying at least two first portions (31a, 31b, 31c) offset relative to each other in at least the first horizontal direction (X) and / or the second horizontal direction (Y).

3. Machine tool handling according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises three first locking systems (3a, 3b, 3c) and three second locking systems (3 'a, 3'b, 3'c ):

a first so-called central locking system (3a) and a second so-called central locking system (3 'a), whose first so-called central parts (31a, 3a) are centered substantially in the plane (PI, P'); 1) of symmetry of the arm passing through the axis of rotation of the plate and substantially perpendicular to the upper face (133a, 133b) of the arm, and two first lateral locking systems (3b, 3c) and two second lateral locking systems (3'b, 3'c), whose first so-called lateral parts (31b, 31c, 31 'b, 31' c) are arranged on either side of the plane (PI, P '1) of symmetry of the arm.

4. Machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, in the low position of the trays,

the first central locking system (3a) provides a mechanical connection with no degree of freedom between the tooling and the first arm,

the second central locking system (3 'a) provides a connection with a degree of freedom in the first horizontal direction (X), and

- The lateral locking systems (3b, 3c, 3'b, 3'c) provide a mechanical connection with a degree of freedom in the first horizontal direction (X) and in the second horizontal direction (Y).

5. Machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each locking system comprises

a second portion comprising at least one stud (323),

- A first part comprising a plate (310) provided with at least one housing (312) adapted to receive said stud, and equipped with at least one locking member (313) adapted to cooperate with said stud to block it in position longitudinal in said housing.

6. Machine according to claim 5, characterized in that each locking member (313) is adapted to move radially between a spaced position, wherein said member is recessed relative to the housing (312), and a locking position wherein said member is projecting into the housing to lock the stud (323), said member being biased resiliently into its locking position and moved to its spaced apart position by pneumatic means, supplied with compressed air only when the plate is positioned between its low position and its extreme low position.

7. Machine according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a pre-centering system (61-64) for centering the tool in the first horizontal direction (X) and the second horizontal direction ( Y) when moving the trays from their extreme low position to their low position, so that the first portions and the second portions are substantially aligned vertically before their engagement for the locking of the tooling on the arms.

Tooling machine according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the support system (4) comprises a self-guided vehicle.

9. Machine tool handling according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said vehicle (4) automatically guided guide is able to move in the first horizontal direction (X) and the second horizontal direction (Y ).

10. Machine tool handling according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that at least one of the two bases (10a, 10b) is slidably mounted on at least one rail for the displacement of the base in the first horizontal direction (X).

11. Machine for the production and / or treatment of parts, characterized in that it comprises a tooling handling machine according to one of claims 1 to 10, and a processing device (5) comprising a head ( 51) and a displacement system (52) adapted to move said treatment head to make a workpiece on said tool (2) and / or to perform a treatment of a workpiece placed on said tooling.

Machine for producing and / or treating parts according to claim 11, characterized in that said control unit is able to simultaneously control the displacement of the treatment head by said displacement system (52) and the rotation of tooling and / or moving the tooling in the vertical direction (Z) by the tilting device for producing the workpiece on said tooling and / or for processing a workpiece placed on said tooling.

13. Machine for the production and / or treatment of parts according to claim 11 or 12, for the manufacture of parts made of composite material, characterized in that the handling machine comprises at least one tooling (2) of draping, presenting a application surface (21) corresponding to a part to be produced, the processing device comprising a fiber application head (51), said head comprising a fiber application roll for the application of a fiber web on the application surface of the draping tool.